Automatic car-brake



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. W. 'LUGE. AUTOMATIG GAR BRAKE.

No. 493,100. Patented Mar. 7, 1893.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. W. LUOE.-

' AUTOMAI'IG GAR BRAKE. I I No. 493,100. Patented Mar. 7, 1893.

I I I; l

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet. 8.

E. W. LUOE. AUTOMATIC GAR BRAKE.

No. 493,100. Patented Mar. 7, 1893.

XJ 484-Z 413 4-3 to show the operative mechanisms.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN WV. LUOE, OF MEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 493,100, dated March 7,1893. Application tiled November 11, 1891. Serial No. 411,587. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN W. LUOE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Meadville, in the county of Crawford and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAutomatic Car- Brakes; and I do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and to thefigures of reference marked thereon, which form a part 'of thisspecification.

My invention relates to automatic car brakes and has for its object tosimplify and cheapen their construction and to generally improve themand increase their efficiency.

With this object in View my invention consists in the improvedconstruction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter fullydescribed and afterward specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawingsz-Figure 1 is a top plan view of so much ofa car as is necessary to illustrate my invention, the longitudinal andcross beams of the door frame being partially broken away the moreclearly Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the same portion of the car asis shown in top plan view in Fig. 1, some of the ordinary brakemechanism being removed to more clearlyshow the mechanisms involved inthis invention. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line a:Ixof Fig. 1 extending from the bumperordraw head to include the shiftingbar, parts being broken away for purposes of illustration. Fig.

4 is a central longitudinal section through the draw head extendingtoand takingin part of the cross beams of theframe. Fig. 5 is a view (inelevation or planboth being the same) of the cam groove or switchingcylinder of the shifting mechanism. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectionthrough the same on the line y-y of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a detail view,being a side elevation of one of the brackets in which the shifting baris mounted. Fig. 8 is a detail view, being a longitudinal sectionthrough parts immediately connected with the switch in. p Like numeralsof reference mark the same parts wherever they occur in the variousfigures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1, 2, 3 and 4 are the wheels, 5,6, the axles, 7, 8, 9, 10, the rubbers or shoes of the brakes, 11, 12,the brake beams, 13, 14, the brake levers and 15, 16 the brake rods. Allthese parts are of any well known or approved construction whereby powerapplied to one of the rods is transmitted to the brakes. As is usualthese rods and 16 are connected to the opposite ends 17, 18, of a lever19, pivoted to a plate 20 attached to the longitudinal beams of thefloor frame near the mid length of the car. The poweris applied tothis-lever through a bar 21, which in ordinary brakes, is connected by achain to the mechanism, such as the usual brake wheel and shaft aroundwhich such chains are wound. At this point however the mechanism of myinvention begins. This rod 21 instead of being connected to a chain,&c., as in ordinary brakes, is connected at its other end to one end 22of a lever 23 pivoted at its center 24 to one end of a carriage 25 whichis itself pivoted at its opposite end to the bolt 26 at the center ofthe truck, said carriage resting upon. the lower cross beam 27 of thetruck wherebyitalways maintains the same level, being unaffected by theup and down movement of the body of the car.

At the opposite end of the'lever 23 is formed a head or face'i28 andwhen it is desired to put down the brakes through the train of mechanismbefore described, a bumper head 29 is forced against this head 28causing the lever 23 to move on itspivot 24 and by actuating the rod 21,actuate all the rods, levers, and beams to the brake shoes. This bumperhead 29 is pivotally attached to the end of a bar 30 which is mounted toslide in brackets 31 secured to the upper cross beam 32 of the truck ofthe car body, the pivotal attachment of the head being for the purposeof allowing it to turn aside if moved sidewise while in contact with theface 28 (by accident or mistake) and thus prevent injury to the parts.It is'returned to its central position when released by a follower 33actuated and normally held in contact with the head by a spring (notshown).

The bar 30 at its opposite end is connected in any suitable way (in thisinstance by being passed into a switch) to the free end of a lever 34pivoted at its opposite end at 35 to the upper cross beam 32 of thetruck, this lever 34 extending past and slightly beyond the center ofthe car 011 each side, and being held normally in its outer position bya spring 36 placed between it and the beam 32. In this position thelever 34 is in the longitudinal path of the drawbar 37 of the car and isoperated upon to force it inward, against the action of spring 36 by ayoke 38 embracing the inner end 39 of the drawbar. This yoke has itsinner end 40, inside the draw bar, resting against the end of a spring41 located inside the draw head and the spring and end 40 are bothguided in action by a rod 42. Owing to this provision the pressureinward of the yoke is by means of the spring and after the correctpressure (as previously determined by the resisting power of the spring)has been exerted, any excess will be taken up by the spring and breakageprevented.

The extent of the inward movement ot the yoke 38 and as a consequencethe pressureof the brakes, is limited by a stop 43 secured to the lowercross beam 44 of the truck.

As is well known there is a greaterpressure necessary to overcome themomentum of a loaded car than that of a light car, and it is extremelydesirable that this pressure be antomatically regulated. This I do bymaking the stop 43 of wedge shape the head being upward and in the pathof the yoke when the car is light. I also provide the forward end of theyoke with a wedge shaped projection so that there will be a closecontact between it and the wedge stop 43.

As before stated the stop is attached to the lower cross beam of thetruck, while the draw bar is attached to the longitudinal beams 45, 46,of the floor f ram e. These beams of course move up and down as the caris lighter or heavier, according as the supporting springs are elongatedor compressed, in consequence of which when the car is light the yokewill come in contact with the head or upper thick end of the wedge. Asthe car is loaded the yoke is moved downward, and as the wedge stop isstationary, the point of contact between the yoke and the wedge stopmoves downward on the stop, and as the thickness of the stop graduallydecreases, the yoke will be permitted to travel a relatively longerdistance before it comes in contact with the stop. This increase oftravel of the yoke permits a greater pressure upon the brakes andaccomplishes the object sought, that is to say, automatically increasingthe pressure on the brake as the load increases.

1 have explained how the pressure is applied to the brake by the inwardmotion of the drawhead. This inward motion is caused by the momentum ofthe car in this manner. The train being in motion and it being desiredto stop it, the engineer slackens the speed of the engine, whereupon thecars run up against each other, pressing the drawheads in and causingthe brakes to be set in the manner set forth. This operation will stopthe cars very quickly but the brakes being set, it would be impossibleto back the train without letting them up or releasing them, in thefirst place and providing means whereby they will be maintained in theirinoperative position as long as desired. This is one of the principalpurposes of my invention and the construction and operation of themechanism for producing these effects will now be described.

On the inner axle 6 of the truck illustrated is centrally mounted acylinder 47 which I denominate the switching cylinder. It is providedwith two sets of grooves, one set being located on each side of acentral land or rib 48 as shown in detail in Figs. 5 and 6. Each setconsists of an annular groove of which the rib or land 48 forms theinside, an annular groove of which the rib or land 49 on the outer endsof the cylinder form the outer side and switching grooves at intervalsconnecting these annular grooves. The Y annular grooves are marked 50,51, 52 and 53, and the switch grooves 54 and 55, and the switch grooves54 and 55 of the two sets are inclined in the same direction. The pivot24 of lever 23 is elongated upward and forms a sleeve in which isplaced, loosely enough to move freely up and down therein,a pin 56 thelower end of which acts in the grooves of the cylinder as will behereinafter described. Through slots in the sleeve a cross pin is set inthe switch pin 56 having an end 57 projecting toward the center of thecar and an end 58 projecting toward the end of the car. The inner end 57of the cross pin plays in a hole 59in the upward projecting end 60 of ahorizontally placed bar 61 pivoted at its inner end to the plate 20 towhich the lever 19 of the brake system is pivoted. A pair of brackets63, 64 depend from theinner sides of the outer longitudinal beams 65,66of the floorframeand each bracket has around hole through it, each holehaving a notch 67 on one side to receive a spline 68, 69 on a cross rod70. This rod 70 extends from side to side of the car andhas at its endshandles 71, 72,.which are under the side beams of the car within easyreach ot the operator While passing along at the side of the train. Inits central part this rod 'is cranked as at 73 and the bar 61 passesabove the cranked portion, the relative height thereof beingsuch thatthe 61 will be raised out of its normal position when the rod 70 isturned to bring the cranked portion upward, the rod 70 thus acting toraise bar 61 so as to remove the switch pin 56 out of the grooves of theswitching cylinder 47. The cross rod 70 is so fitted as to move readilyfrom side to side when in this position but to be held against suchmovement whenin any other position. This is effected by the provision ofthe splines 68 and 69 and by so placing the notches 67 in the bearingbrackets that the IIO the notches 67. The sidewise movement is limitedby the handles 71, ,72, acting in conjunction with the outside of thebrackets and shoulders 74, 75, acting in conjunction with the inside ofsaid brackets.

Between the handles 71 and 72. are shoulders 74 and 75 the splines 68and 69 are placed but they do not extend the whole distance, there beinga clear round bearing left at each end of the splines so that the crossrod can freely turn when at either extremity of itssidewise movement butcannot be turned while intermediate thereof, while the splines are inthe notches. The cranked portion 73 of cross bar is provided with anotch 76 which, when the rod is in position to move sidewise, engages ashort spline or tooth 77 on the under side of an arm 61.

Suitable links 78, 79 are provided depending from the side beams, bywhich to lock or sustain the handles 71 and 72 in their raisedpositions. When the rod 70 is turned it raises the bar 61 and this inturn raises the. switch pin out of the set of switching cylinder groovesin which it is engaging. It is then in position to be transferred to aposition over the other set of grooves which is done by shifting the rod70 as before described until the splines pass through the supportingbrackets and the round bearing is reached, when by dropping the handle;it will hang by its own gravity, and that of the cranked part of therod, out of contactwith arm 61. This shifting movement carries the lever23 from side to side and the object of such shifting will now beexplained. When the switch pin is in either of the outer grooves 51 or53the lever 23 is in its outer position on either side and the face 28is removed to one side or the other of the path of the bumper or push.head 29 and the whole of my brake mechanism is inactive, and when theswitch pin is in either of the inner annular grooves 50 or 52, the lever23 is in position to bring the face 28 in the path of the bumper head 29and the brake mechanism is in active position. Supposing the switch pinto be carried over by the shifting mechanism and dropped into the outerannular groove 51. As before stated the parts are in inactive positionand the train is ready to go forward in the direction indicated by arrowat in Fig. 5. It will be readily apparent that the top of the cylinder47 will move in the same direction the car is moving and when this takesplace the pin will be switched from groove 51 into and through switchgroove 54, to and into annular groove 50. This brings the face 28 in thepath of head 29 and the mechanism is-in active position, in whichposition it will continue as long as the car continues to move in thatdirection. If, during the motion, the speed of the engine is slackened,the cars will run up .toward each other and by their momentum,set

the brakes as before described, and themoresuddenthe slackening, thegreater will be the momemtum and the harder and quicker the brakes willbe put on. If, at any time, it is desired to back the train, thereversal of the movement will cause the car, and consequently the top ofthe switching cylinder, to move in the direction of arrow 12 and byvirtue of the peculiar formation of the grooves, the pin will ridethrough switch groove 54 into outer annular groove 51 shifting the partsso that face 28 is out of the path of the bumper 29 and the brake beinginactive the train maybe backed as much as desired. It the train is madeup to move forward in the direction of the arrow b, the shifting rod isdrawn to that side and the pin dropped into outer annular groove 53,bringing the face 28 to the right of head 29 and the parts againininactive position. As soon as the car starts, the top of the switchcylinder moving in the direction of arrow 1), the pin will ride inswitch groove 55 and be carried over to inner annular groove 52 thusbringing the face 28int0 the path of head 29 and the parts into activeposition, ready to be actuated by the momentum of the cars in thereverse position to that just before described. By backing the car, themotion of the cylinder will be reversed, the pin switched over to outerannular groove 53 and the parts brought into inactive position. Toeffect these switching movements of the pin in the grooves, it is onlynecessary to make the bottoms of the grooves inclined, the shallowestparts being on top of shoulders 80 and 81, andthe deepest parts at thepoints 82, 83, (see Fig. 5) so that when the cylinder is moving indirection of arrowathe pin must move out'of either groove 50 or 53, butwill remainin either groove 51 or 52, and when the cylinder is moving indirection of arrow b, this action is reversed with the results alreadystated. This construction would be entirely practicable but would be.slightlyobjectionable for the reason that where the pin was remainingin either of the grooves, as for instance in inner annular groove 50when moving in direction of arrow a, every time one of the shoulders 81passed under the pin, the pin would drop down and strike the bottom ofthe groove at the deep point 83. This causes the pin to wear itself andthe bottom of they grooveand makes a noise every time, it drops. Toremedy this I have provided the following mechanism. To the carriage 35is pivoted a trip lever 84 which lies alongside of the carriage and hasat one end a horizontally projecting arm 85 which passes under andengages the projecting end 57 of the cross pin which passes through theswitch pin 56 and at the other end a vertically projecting arm 86 whichlies between the cross beam of the truck and a horizontal arm87projecting laterally from the push bar 30. When the brake is on the bar30 is pushed inward and the arm 87 with it. In this position, the switchpin 56 drops by gravity into its lowest position, butwhen the cars aremoving and the brakes 0d, the bar 30 is in its withdrawn position, inwhich position it causes the arm 87 to press upon the arm 86 whichraises the other end of lever 8i and with it arm 85 and switch pin 56.The extent to which it will be raised by this mechanism has beenpreviously' determined and is sufficient to cause it to clear the bottomof the annular grooves 50 and 52 which are made deeper than the outerannular grooves 51 and 53, and at the same time remain within theirwalls. This prevents the objections noted and while the cars moveforward this condition continues. As soon as rod 30 is pressed inward,to set the brakes, the pin again drops to the bottom of the groove. Thehead 29 moves with the body of the car when depressed by load, but theface 28 is not subject to such movement being secured to the truck.Contact is main tained in the variations of height of the head by makingboth of them high enough to allow for such variation, and the face ismade wide enough to allow for the slight change of position laterallywhen the switch pin is in groove 50 or 52.

The bar 88 connected to the lever 19 is intended to connect with asafety attachment not shown or described.

Having thus fully described the construction and operation of myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patentof the United States, is-* 1. In an automatic brake mechanism, thecombination of a draw bar mounted upon a portion of the framing whosevertical position varies with the weight of the car, and a variable stopto limit the movement of the bar, said stop being rigidly secured to afixed portion of the framing, substantially as described.

2. In an automatic brake mechanism the combination of the draw bar, apush bar, and an intermediate pivoted lever, all mounted on a portion ofthe framing whose vertical position varies with the weight of the car,and a variable stop interposed between the lever and the push bar, saidstop being rigidly secured to a fixed portion of the framing,substantially as described.

3. In an automatic brake mechanism, the combination of a draw bar andpush bar mounted on a portion of the framing whose vertical positionvaries with the weight of the car, and an intermediate wedge-shaped stopblock, said block being rigidly secured to a fixed portion of theframing with its wide part uppermost, substantially as described.

4. In combination the draw bar, the lever. pivoted to the fioor frame,the spring for normally retracting the lever, the wedge shaped stop forsaid bar, and the brake mechanism operated by the movement of thepivoted spring pressed lever as set forth.

5. In combination with the ordinary brakes of a car and their operatingmechanism comprising a bar pivoted centrally below the floor a levercentrally a push frame a pivoted carriage, pivoted to the end of saidcarriage,

bar for operating said lever, a pivoted lever for operating said pushbar, a variable stop for said pivoted lever, and the draw bar opcratingupon said lever, as set forth.

6. The combination with a draw bar having a recessed rear end, ofaspring seated in said recess, and a loose yoke connected with the drawbar and bearing against the spring, substantially as described.

7. In combination the draw bar, its spring pressed yoke, the springreturned lever in the path of said yoke and brake operating mechanismconnected to said lever as set forth.

8. In combination the drawbar, the spring returned bar pivoted to thecar, an arm connected to its free end, and switching mechanism operatedby the movement of said arm, as set forth.

9. In combination the draw bar, the spring therein, the pin through thespring and the end of the draw-bar and the yoke encircling the end ofthe drawbar and having a hearing, inside the draw bar, upon the end ofthe spring as set forth.

10. In combination the draw bar, the lever pivoted to the cross beam ofthe floor frame, in the path of the draw bar, the spring for normallyholding it in contact with the draw bar and the wedge stop secured tothe truck with its head upward as set forth.

11. In combination the carriage pivoted to the truck, the lever pivotedto the end of the carriage and having a bearing face at one end thereofand the push bar with head thereon to engage with said head, the faceand head being of a width to permit lateral and vertical movement whilepreserving contact as set forth. 7

12. In combination the switching cylinder having annular grooves ofunequal depth, the switch pin engaging said grooves, and the trip pinarranged to hold the pin within, but out of contact with the bottom of,the deeper grooves, as set forth.

13. The switching cylinder provided with sets of two annular grooveseach and switch grooves connecting the annular grooves, one annulargroove of each set being deeper than the other as and for the purposeset forth.

14. In combination the carriage, pivoted to the truck, the pivoted barconnected at its center therewith, a switch pin mounted at the pivotalpoint, a cross pin in the switch pin and projecting toward the center ofthe car, a shifting bar engaging said pin, and a switching or shiftingrod for moving the shifting bar laterally as set forth.

15. In combination with the floor frame of a car a shifting bar pivotedat the center thereof, and a rod for laterally moving said shifting bar,said bar being mounted in brackets depending from the side beams of thefloor frame and having a central cranked portion to support and adjustthe shifting bar, as set forth.

16. In combination the pivoted shiftingbar, the laterally movable androtatable switching rod mounted below the floor frame and having thecentral cranked portion and short splines, and the brackets dependingfrom the floor frame and having round holes to receive the switching rodand side notches to receive the splines, as set forth.

17. In combination the carriage pivoted to the truck, the levercentrally pivoted thereto, the vertically movable switch pin at thecenter thereof having cross pin the trip lever pivoted to the carriagehaving horizontal arm to engage the cross pin, and an upright at theopposite end, the push bar, and the horizontal arm thereto to engage theupright on the trip bar as set forth.

18. In combination the push bar, the carriage and the switch pin, of atrip bar piv- 19. In a car brake mechanisma cam" grooved cylinder, aswitch pin to engage its grooves, a trip bar, andthe push bar, the trlpbar and push bar operating to partially ele-' vate the switch pin,substantially as set forth. In testimony whereof I afi'ix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN W.'LUOE. Witnesses:

A. R. WILLIAMS, W. 'I. B. HYNES.

